I think a big problem these days is too many parents try to be friends with their kids and are "too" understanding. Instead of discipline, they resort to "talks" and "time-outs".
My youngest brother is 8, he has a different dad than me. I don't think he's ever been spanked, just the "time-out" system. Though I love the kid, he is a brat. Gets away with pretty much anything, never disciplined, gets whatever he wants.
My family never had much money when I was younger, my parents split when I was only 6 so I never got little extras and sweets just for the hell of it. And yeh, I also got smacked from time to time, but not often. I learned quickly that being a little shithead wasn't going to get me anywhere.
